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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22747051">Pocket Hog AU</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/NursingTie/pseuds/NursingTie'>NursingTie</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/tharkflark1/pseuds/tharkflark1'>tharkflark1</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Will add more characters to the tags as the AU progresses., as usual i lie, cuz I crave that sweet sweet found family, there is angst, this is just cute fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 09:40:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>11,456</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22747051</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/NursingTie/pseuds/NursingTie, https://archiveofourown.org/users/tharkflark1/pseuds/tharkflark1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Pocket Hog (AU)</p><p>What if Tom found Sonic ten years eariler in Green Hills? </p><p>Now he's got a duty to protect his town and his newly adopted alien son who can run faster than the speed of sound.</p><p>Who knew parent life could be so complicated?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Maddie Wachowski/Tom Wachowski, Sonic the Hedgehog &amp; Maddie Wachowski, Sonic the Hedgehog &amp; Tom Wachowski</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>286</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1226</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Small quick footsteps tumble and crash through the underbrush, breaking the quiet ambience of the woodland. Ankle twisted, Sonic clutches the bag of rings to his chest, the hedgehog’s quick breaths labored and stifled as he tries his best to limp ahead of the hungry creature. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first few days on Earth hadn’t been bad. The ground was a little too uneven for him compared to his island home but he managed. He had also been trying to find a place to make a home for himself with no such luck. The trees had too little coverage from rain, and he didn’t have the time nor tools to make a whole house, so he decided that maybe holes in the ground would work (at least, temporarily). </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course that would be when he met, </span>
  <em>
    <span>It</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t his fault! How was he supposed to know that something as scary as that lived there?! </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He squeezes his watery eyes shut at the pain shooting up from his foot. He had injured it after narrowly escaping the creature’s jaws the first time around, but he couldn’t stop now. That thing was faster than it looked! And who knows what it would do to him if it caught him?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wished Longclaw were here. She’d know what to do. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature snarls and yips at him, breaking Sonic’s thoughts. He couldn’t think about her right now! </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Clenching his teeth, Sonic pushes himself a little faster and zig-zags into a small clearing of trees bounded by a sharp steep stone. The young hedgehog momentarily pauses, frantically looking for something that could be used as shelter. He needed to hide! Any place! Anything!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A hole. Too small for the creature catches his eye. It looked dug out of the base of a tree by something else before being abandoned. Sonic, without a second thought, zips into the hole right as the creature’s teeth nearly nip the back of his quills. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The hedgehog suddenly realizes why the hole was empty. It was barely even a hole, just a chunk of dirt someone had taken out of the ground before they realized it was just rock beneath. Trapped literally between a rock and a sharp place, Sonic curls up as best as he can.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His foot is throbbing painfully, and he can hear the thing digging its way down. It would be only a matter of time before it reached him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The hedgehog shivers and sobs. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Someone, anyone. Help.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>_____</span>
  <span>___________________</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Geez, Ozzie, settle down! You're never like this, what's got you uneasy?" Tom attempted to keep a firm grip onto the leash, holding back a golden retriever, who was pulling around much more than usual.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He'd thought it would be nice to try cramming in some time to walk the dog, as he didn't do it as much as he wished. Between him and his wife Maddie recently moving into their new home in the peaceful town of Green Hills, and him looking for a new policing job, time was rather scarce. Today he was lucky to have some, and decided to try taking Ozzie out on a peaceful stroll, rather than keeping him cooped up in their fenced backyard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Said dog, however, seemed to have other plans. Before Tom knew it, Ozzie had yanked hard enough for Tom to lose grip on the leash, running off into the nearby woods. Tom mentally facepalmed, before running off to catch him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ozzie! Ozzie,” — Tom whistles — “Here, boy!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The woods were rather close to Tom and Maddie's home, and was actually one of the reasons they had bought it. It's nice to be around nature, waking up and seeing the woods near them. However, most of the plant life had been dead or dying, with autumn approaching soon. Orange and yellow leaves fell off of oaks and sycamores, hiding more and more of the forest floor up. They scuffled up and around as Tom ran atop them, continuing to call out for his adventurous mutt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After some stumbling around over upturned roots and branches Tom hears growling and yipping, followed by quick paws flitting away. Concerned that his normally friendly friend had somehow gotten into a fight with another animal, Tom rushes towards the sound.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sure enough, he spots Ozzie in a small natural clearing, no other large animals in sight. He seemed to be circling around the base of a tree. That’s...weird. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Confused, he walks up to Ozzie. There appeared to be no immediate danger, so why did Ozzie run off like that? “Ozzie, what’re you doin’?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly noticing his owner standing there, said dog barks at Tom before going back to pawing at the base of a tree. Crouching, he notices a small hole just barely big enough to stick his hand inside. Did a squirrel crawl up into there? Was that what got Ozzie so worked up? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he peered closer into the hole, Tom caught a glimpse of something small and...blue? Maybe a toy ball?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Curious, Tom takes out the mini-flashlight attached to his belt (a habit from years of cop work). He crouches down, turning on the flashlight and moving its light inside the hole. Inside he could make out a small, round and spiky object. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Okay. So, not a toy.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Very slowly, Tom reaches his hand inside the hole, hoping to gently poke the thing or at least take it out to examine it closer. However, the moment his hand makes contact with one of the spikes, the “ball” jerkishly moves around and something nips at his pointer finger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom immediately yanks his hand back. In more surprise than pain, the police officer looks down, noticing a clear indentation of a bite (though not enough to draw blood). Looking down into the hole again, he squints at the spikey blue thing. It looked too big for the hole, especially with its weirdly stiff movements as it tried to turn itself back around. It was possible it might be stuck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ozzie gives a yelp-like bark as Tom clicks off the flashlight, sliding it back into his belt. He then pulls out a handkerchief from his pocket. Using it as a barrier between him and the spikes, Tom manages to get a grip around the “ball”. The thing squirms violently in his grip, making scuffing and whimpering noises. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay, buddy. I gotcha.” Sure enough, whatever it is is pretty jammed in there; and probably would have been unable to get out on it’s own. Tom, however, after a moment of balancing gentleness and strength, manages to pull out the blue creature. It wriggles a little more before seemingly accepting its fate. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Inside his hand was this...thing. It </span>
  <em>
    <span>almost</span>
  </em>
  <span> looked like a hedgehog, with it's small quills and pointed nose. At the same time, though, it looked like nothing he'd seen before outside of sci-fi movies. Its fur was blue, with peach spots on its mouth and stomach. Tiny gloved (“</span>
  <em>
    <span>gloved??</span>
  </em>
  <span>”) hands held tightly onto a brown bag, taking up nearly all of its body; while small brown shoes were tucked underneath its body in a defensive posture.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Though the strangest feature, Tom had to guess, was its face. Instead of the beady, black dots, large, humanlike ones, with bright green pupils. The creature’s small ears were folded back as it stared at the officer, shaking and letting out small cries that seemed to get worse the more time he held the poor thing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom wasn't sure how to respond. It's not every day that he'd seen anything like this creature before, whatever it was. The most he could really do was stare at its trembling form. Something about this strange creature just stuck out to him, besides its appearance of course. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the hell..?” Tom tries turning the thing around a bit in his hand to get a better look at it. Maybe Maddie would know wh-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It suddenly flinches and cries out much louder than before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom nearly drops it, enclosing the creature in both hands reflexively. Much, </span>
  <em>
    <span>much</span>
  </em>
  <span>, slower this time, Tom reopens his hands to see the blue creature clutching its foot. Tom, concerned, takes a closer look at its legs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh shit,” Tom whispers. The foot the creature is holding, though a bit hard to tell with its fur, is  swollen and purple right where it meets the opening of the shoe. It seems bent weirdly too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eyes shut tight, small shiny tears slip over its furred cheeks. Its mewling stutters with hisses of pain that just pierce Tom’s worried heart like arrows. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Did he do that?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that moment, a sharp clap of thunder resounds over the forest clearing. Gentle trickles of rain began to come from above, but were increasing into heavy showers. Tom internally groaned, great. Of course it would rain, especially at a time like this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He got up quickly, making sure that the creature in hand would be okay. He didn't want to just leave it down by the hole, especially with a nasty wound like that on it. He wasn't sure what to do exactly with the other at first, before perking up as an idea came to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here, ya go little buddy,” Carefully, Tom slips the small creature into his coat pocket. The thing was strangely compliant as it nestled itself in. Hopefully, that would keep it safe from the rain now pouring above. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom called Ozzie over and quickly went to leave back home, making mental notes as to what he'd exactly tell Maddie about this thing. Most animals didn’t wear shoes or gloves (or, at least he thought they didn’t), but hopefully Maddie would know what it was and how to help it, she was a vet after all. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After a few minutes of running and covering his currently occupied pocket through the downpour, Tom gets to his house. He nearly slams the door on Ozzie when he enters, quickly taking off his soaked shoes and socks. He hangs up his coat as well, only remembering his passenger in said coat once small, confused whines came from the garment.</p><p>Bending down, Tom takes the creature out of the coat pocket, careful not to get pricked nor agitate the little one’s leg wound further. The thing is shivering and still clutching the bag, but looks more curious than scared now so that was a plus.</p><p>“Okay, little buddy, let’s get that thing patched up,” Tom walks towards the kitchen while cupping the creature in his hands.</p><p>"Maddie? Maddie! We have a situation here!" There’s hurried footsteps from the hall as another person pops in.</p><p>“Tom? What’s the emergency? I thought you were walking Ozzie?” Tom turns to Maddie, who is standing in the doorway wearing her usual yoga outfit. He seemed to have caught her right before she started. Maddie pauses as she spots the blue thing in Tom’s hands, confused. "What do you have there?"</p><p>Tom runs a free hand through his hair. "I don't know, but it's hurt. Think you can check it out?" Although still confused, she nods, and both head to the island in the kitchen.</p><p>He quickly and carefully places the creature on the counter. It stares up at Tom for a moment before taking in its surroundings in curiosity, still holding the bag. It wrinkles its nose and sneezes cutely before locking eyes with Maddie.</p><p>Maddie blinks. The thing blinks back.</p><p>Once.</p><p>Twice.</p><p>The vet opens and closes her mouth silently a few times. She then shakes her head as if the action would make the creature on the counter turn into something normal. When it doesn't, Maddie gestures vaguely at it. <em>“Wh-</em> Tom, what is...?”</p><p>Tom unconsciously rubs the back of his neck, turning away from her to look at the thing. “I, uh, really don’t have an answer for that. It might be a hedgehog? But I don’t know. I found it right before the rainstorm hit; It’s hurt, and I was hoping you’d be able to help it..?”</p><p>Maddie crouches down to look closer at the “hedgehog.” Said hedgehog cradles the satchel in its grip closer, not unlike how a child would hug a plush toy for comfort. “Tom, I don’t even know what I’m looking at, ” — the blue creature shivers and sneezes again — “ and it’s soaked!”</p><p>She rushes over to the kitchen towel rack, grabbing a small clean dish rag. “No animal I’ve ever seen is blue and wears white gloves and brown booties,” Maddie wraps the fluffy towel around the creature. It stiffens at the initial touch before immediately melting afterwards into the warm soft texture of the rag, letting the vet gently dry its fur. “Much less a <em>hedgehog</em>.”</p><p>After a moment, the vet stops the pleasing rubs, letting the towel sit around the creature. The hedgehog grasps at the rag like a blanket as Maddie leans back a bit in wonder at the thing. It had quills, which <em>looked</em> sharp, but they felt too soft to do much of anything. Even though it pretty much had no other features that would link it to the small burrowing mammal, Maddie could see why Tom would assume it was a hedgehog. And a young one at that.</p><p>She looks back at Tom. “You said it was hurt?”</p><p>The sheriff shakes himself to clear his thoughts. “Yeah. It’s left foot. I think it might be twisted.”</p><p>Maddie hums as she turns back to the hedgehog on the table. It seemed a bit more at ease now, twitching its ears toward her in curiosity as she takes a closer look at its feet.</p><p>Comparing the two, the left ankle was definitely more inflamed than the right. Reaching out to take a closer look, Maddie barely touches the injury before the creature recoils at her touch. The action seems to hurt it more as the hedgehog makes small squeaks and hisses in pain.</p><p>“Hey, hey, shh, shh. I won’t hurt you. Just trying to help you with that nasty wound,” she soothes. It tilts its head, still sniffling, as if listening to her words, making the vet pause.</p><p>Suddenly, Maddie gets an idea, reaching for its right foot instead. The creature recoils a bit at that, but not enough to pull away from her. Instead, it watches with large emerald eyes as she fiddles with the way-too-small laces on the shoe. Eventually, she manages to get them undone and slowly slips the shoe from its good foot.</p><p>She shows the hedgehog the shoe before placing it on the counter right next to it. It stares at the footwear for a moment, before looking back at the vet. Scrunching up its eyebrows in a strangely human expression of intense thought, the hedgehog eyes Maddie as it slowly stretches back out its bad foot.</p><p>Maddie sighs in relief that she didn’t have to restrain the creature. Struggling could have aggravated the injury more.</p><p>With a gentler touch than she did with the right shoe and holding its leg in place, Maddie removes the shoe as carefully as possible. The hedgehog flinched a little as its sensitive foot was bumped around but remained relatively still.</p><p>Tom, who had been quietly watching the interaction from the side, leans over to his wife. “So, is it bad?”</p><p>Maddie, holding the injury with light fingertips, makes a face while unconsciously blowing a piece of hair out of her face. “I...can’t be sure, its physiology is not something I’m familiar with, but I think you’re right: it’s twisted.” She slowly sets its foot back down on the counter. She stands back up straight, folding her arms in thought.</p><p>The sheriff notices his wife’s hesitation. “Is something wrong?”</p><p>Maddie clicks her tongue.“Well, normally, I would make the owner walk their pet a little in order to see how severe the twist is. But…” She taps her forefinger against her chin. How to do that without freaking the thing ou-</p><p>“...walk?”</p><p>A new, squeakier voice pipes up. She looks at Tom, who gives her a “It wasn’t me!” face.  Well, she definitely didn’t make that noise.  </p><p>Then who..?</p><p>In weird synchronicity, Maddie and Tom turn from looking at each other to gaze down at the hedgehog on the counter. It was standing now, favoring its socked left foot and holding its bag in its right hand. With a slightly damp towel wrapped around its shoulders in an almost cape-like fashion, it peers up between the Wachowskis with nervous, bright-green, <em>intelligent</em> eyes.</p><p>Tom stands stock still as Maddie squats back down to the creature’s height. “Did,” she starts, looking a little incredulous as she speaks. “Did you just say ‘walk’?”</p><p>It withers a little under their combined stares, ears flattening. It fiddles with the edges of the towel. “Um..yes! Walk. I can, um, try..?” Its already small voice getting quieter toward the end.</p><p>The vet turns to her equally shocked and confused husband. There’s a long stretch of silence as Tom and Maddie seem to have a long non-verbal conversation with their eyes, before turning back to the hedgehog. The vet takes a deep breath, speaking slowly and directly. “Okay, you can...talk.”</p><p>The thing rapidly nods its head.</p><p>“And you can walk?”</p><p>The thing looks down at its bad foot. Applying some pressure, the hedgehog winces but stands. Limping a little, it waddles toward Maddie. Once it’s almost right in front of Maddie’s face, it shifts its weight back to its good foot. It looks up at Maddie with the saddest eyes she’s ever seen on an animal(? She still had no idea what the heck she was looking at). “Yes, but it hurts.”</p><p>She blows out a huge puff of air and begins whisper-speaking almost to herself. <em>“Okay.</em> It’s most likely not broken then. If it were, you wouldn’t be able to stand on it.” — The creature makes a soft “ohh” noise. — “I will still have to wrap it up and get some x-rays on it, though, just to double check.”</p><p>Maddie stands back up to her full height. She turns to Tom, who has basically been in a constant state of shock since the creature first spoke (He was always the more outwardly emotional out of both of them). “Tom.”</p><p>He unfreezes. “Yes?”</p><p>Maddie’s actions are firm, but her eyes scream ‘imminent freak out’. “I am going to leave for a few minutes to grab some bandages,” She gestures behind herself. “I need you to stay here and watch...uh,” she turns to the hedgehog on the counter.</p><p>It pipes up cutely. “Sonic!”</p><p>“Okay, yes, thank you. <em>Sonic</em>. I need you to watch him while I’m grabbing stuff so he doesn’t hurt himself more or go anywhere. Okay?”</p><p>Tom locks eyes with the thing - Sonic - for a brief moment. “Oh? Yeah. Sure. I can, I can watch him.”</p><p>Maddie takes one last look at Sonic before leaving the kitchen and going up the stairs. Tom and the hedgehog both watch her leave in silence.</p><p>Sonic plops back down on his rump, before looking back up at Tom in adorable confusion: ”What’s an ‘x-ray’?”</p><p>Tom has to bite his fist to keep himself from screaming.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Tom has just been handed his first unofficial job as father to this strange creature.</p><p>Tom and Sonic are left alone. What will they do?</p><p>(This chapter was meant to be twice as long but I just couldn’t)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tom and Sonic have been left alone; what will they do</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Your house is very nice. What time is it? What’s that on the ceiling? It makes light! How does it do that? Wha- <em> there’s two </em>! Woah! How-”</p><p>The thing - Sonic - had started talking the moment Maddie left and hadn’t stopped since. It was like a switch had been flipped; what was once quiet and timid had become this talkative bundle of curiosity. Tom had no idea how to feel about this situation. There was a possible <em> alien creature </em> sitting on his kitchen countertop, and no amount of cop training had prepared him for the unpreparable, much less the inconceivable.</p><p>Tom checks his phone out of habit. It had already been about five minutes.</p><p>Maddie was taking her sweet time (then again, it was possible she was having her own personal freakout, so he could forgive her for that).</p><p>The sheriff chances a glance at the “hedgehog”. Its large <em> way-too-human-like </em> eyes darted around the kitchen in such innocent fascination, like its brain was on hyper-drive once it realized there was no immediate danger. </p><p>Huh. Maybe that was it.</p><p>He remembers Maddie telling and showing him the before and after adoptions of pets after they’ve gotten used to their new homes (It had been for a paper she had to write for class, and he had been happy to help her go through it to make sure it flowed nicely). This situation felt much faster, as the information had stated that it took weeks or even months for a pet to feel comfortable with new owners. Perhaps because the thing could talk- <em> oh my god it could </em>talk. </p><p>Tom bites his thumbnail. </p><p>“Hey, mister?”</p><p>The question makes Tom’s racing thoughts pause. It was so much quieter than the thing’s other audible observations; so much more <em> careful </em>. </p><p>Blinking a bit and shaking his hand, he turns to the “hedgehog”, “<em> Wh </em>-what’s up?” Tom coughs a little the mask the squeakiness in his voice.</p><p>“Are you okay? You’re hurting yourself!” Sonic asks worriedly.</p><p>“Hurting myself?”</p><p>The “hedgehog” nods rapidly. “Your thumb! You bit it!”</p><p>Oh. “Oh, no. I wasn’t - er, I <em> was </em> biting myself -  but that’s not the point. It doesn’t hurt.” </p><p>It tilts its head. “It doesn’t? Then why did you do it?”</p><p>Sighing, Tom pulls over one of the counter stools and sits in front of Sonic. “It’s just a habit when I’m stressed.”</p><p>“Oh,” it looks at its own gloved hands. “Why are you stressed?”</p><p>“Well, it’s not everyday you bring home an animal that wears clothes and talks like a cartoon character.” The “hedgehog” flinches a bit at his somewhat biting tone. Oops. Maybe that wasn’t the best response.</p><p>Tom sighs again, calm down. Breathe in. Breathe out. Just like Maddie’s yoga videos.</p><p>“So, Sonic” the sheriff starts off in a much more casual tone. Said creature perks up at its name “What are you? And where did you come from?” </p><p>Tom gives himself a mental pat on the back. Plain and simple. Good job, Wachowski.</p><p>Its fearful expression vanishes instantly. “Far away, up!” It cheerfully points as far upward as it can with its tiny arms. It then puffs its chest out in a cute display of confidence. “And you guys keep calling me a hedgehog, so that’s what I am.”</p><p>“Up?” Tom asks incredulously. “Like, space up or tree up?”</p><p>“Other world.” </p><p>Tom drags his hands down his face. He feels like crying and laughing all at the same time. Ha. <em> Aliens </em>. Go figure. </p><p>“Soo, you have a mothership?”</p><p>It shakes its head.</p><p>“Some, teleportation device? A wristband that jumps between space and time?”</p><p>“Uh-uh,” He gives Tom an odd look. “You don’t have rings?” Sonic brings the bag it’s been carrying into its lap. Now that Tom can see it more clearly, the bag is brown and looks to be made of leather. It’s covered in faint weird markings that shimmer gold in the light. But other than that, it was just a bag. It seems so much more...<em> normal </em> than what he was expecting alien items to be, like super advanced holograms or portable ships that could fit in your pocket (He’s been watching too much <em> Doctor Who </em> with Maddie). </p><p>Loosening the tied end of the bag, Sonic reaches into it and pulls out a single object. It lived up to its title: a simple polished gold ring. In fact, he’s sure if it weren’t for it seemed to <em> glow </em>, he’d have mistaken it for someone’s lost wedding ring. “Ring,” the hedgehog says matter-of-factly. “You think of a place and then you throw it. Like this,” he makes a throwing motion with the hand holding the ring.</p><p>“Don’t think I’ve ever seen those before, little buddy, “ So, like portals? That’s crazy. When he’s calm enough, Tom thinks he’ll ask Sonic to explain more in depth. But now? No. “Sorry.” </p><p>Sonic gives him a strange look before placing the ring back into the bag. “That’s funny, Longclaw said that all super duper advanced races have rings…” Sonic mumbles.</p><p>“What?” </p><p>“Oh. Uh, nothing...” The hedgehog reseals the pouch, placing it beside him, ears twitching at the sound of thunder outside.</p><p>A bout of silence. “So,” Tom starts again. “Why are you here?”</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>“Like, why are you not with your people, or something. If your place has stuff like that, I don’t think Earth would be the next best place.” Tom tries to lighten the mood a little with a joke, but it falls flat as the hedgehog curls in on itself.</p><p>For a second, Tom thinks Sonic won’t answer, but he eventually mutters out, “It’s safe! Bad people aren't here. They tried to take me away…” </p><p>The sheriff can’t help but feel bad for the little guy. “‘Bad People’? What could these ‘people’ ever want from you?” </p><p>At that, Sonic suddenly tenses, fiddling with his gloves. His eyes dart around back and forth as if someone else could be listening. It reminded Tom of when Jojo was a toddler. When he and Maddie would visit, they played <em> Save the Stuffed Bear </em> together; She would get a similar look in her eye when they discussed “the plan”.</p><p>The hedgehog then dramatically whispers, “Can you keep a secret?”</p><p>Tom bites down a bit of laughter at the resemblance. “Sure.”</p><p>“...I’m fast.</p><p>“Fast.” Tom says bluntly.</p><p>“Yes! Very fast!” Sonic throws his arms up in emphasis. “See watch!”</p><p>Before the sheriff can blink, the hedgehog stands back up, dropping the towel and bag. But, instead of doing whatever he was trying to show him, Sonic trips over his bad foot and rolls along the counter at not-fast speeds. Tom jumps from the chair to catch him, nearly missing the mess of spikes as it falls over the far edge of the island. </p><p>Tom breathes a sigh of relief as he slumps back down into the chair, hedgehog still in hand (Maybe Maddie telling him to watch Sonic wasn’t such a weird request after all). Said alien uncurls slightly, making him resemble his Earthen counterpart more than ever. “See,” Sonic smiles gleefully like he didn’t just almost get hurt (well, hurt more). “<em> Fast. </em>”</p><p>The sheriff rubs at his eyes with his free hand. He can’t help but quietly chuckle at the innocent display. </p><p>“Okay, big guy, but maybe warn me next time you try that.” He says, unconsciously rubbing the hedgehog’s head in endearment. Sonic giggles and shakes in Tom’s hold. </p><p>“Alright, I’m back - oh.” </p><p>Tom and Sonic both turn to Maddie, who’s welding a first aid kit. She looks more calm than she was earlier, Tom notes. A bemused smirk crosses her face at the scene before her, and Tom quickly places the hedgehog back onto the counter.</p><p>Coughing in an attempt to hide his embarrassment, Tom faces his wife. “So? What’d you get?”</p><p>Smiling and shaking her head, Maddie walks over to Sonic (Tom quickly scoots his stool away so she has room to work). She then places the kit next to the hedgehog. Sonic peers over the side of the kit, nose twitching in fascination. His emerald eyes follow her hand as she takes a roll of bandages out of the kit. </p><p>“I need to keep your foot still so you don’t aggravate it.” At the hedgehog’s raised eyebrow, she abruptly remembers that it’s, probably, a kid she’s talking to. “It’ll make it feel better.”</p><p>Sonic grins and offers his injured foot out to her. Tom watches from the side as his wife expertly wraps the hedgehog’s ankle, occasionally pushing away Sonic’s restless hands. The hedgehog looks absolutely enthralled as she finishes tying the bandage. </p><p>“It’s better!” He says, shaking his now “healed” leg around. </p><p>“Yes,” Maddie gently scolds. “But you need to stay still.” She then turns to her husband. “I’ll wait till tomorrow to do x-rays. It’s Sunday, so no one will be in the office. It’ll be easier to do without anyone asking questions.”</p><p>“So, what do we do about the little guy?” </p><p>The two humans look at the alien on the counter, who was too invested in the kit next to him to notice. Maddie tenderly pulls him away and puts the kit farther away from him. “He can stay here until we figure out what to do with him.” She squats down to the hedgehog’s level, catching his eye. “Would you be okay staying here until you’re all healed up?”</p><p>Sonic worriedly grabs the sack of rings next to him and holds it tight. “Will the scary orange thing get me here?”</p><p>Though puzzled by his description, Maddie pats him gently on the head with two fingers. “Nope. You’ll be perfectly safe here.”</p><p>The hedgehog beams at her, shoving his hands downward excitedly. “I’ll stay!” </p><p>“Great,” Maddie straightens. “I’m gonna go see what I can make a bed out of. Do you need anything else?”</p><p>At that moment, a loud growl emits from Sonic’s stomach. </p><p>“Uh,” his ears flatten as he looks at both adults. “Do you have any food?”</p><p>___________________________</p><p>Tom watches silently as Maddie smoothes out an old warm blanket on the floor of their bedroom. After a bit of talk of <em> where </em> exactly to put the alien hedgehog, they had mutually agreed that keeping him somewhere close would be beneficial, just in case he went anywhere and to make it easy to monitor his condition if need be. </p><p>And keep him away from Ozzie so he wouldn’t freak the hedgehog out.</p><p>The sheriff gazes down at the blue bundle in the crook of his arm. Sonic was nibbling on a single Cheez-it that fit perfectly in his small hands (Tom and Maddie had been discussing on what to feed him when Sonic had gleefully spotted a box of them on the shelf) and held his bag on his stomach. It was a cute sight, Tom had to admit.</p><p>“There.” Tom focuses back on his wife. “That should do it. What do you think, Sonic?”</p><p>At the sound of his name, the hedgehog quickly shoves the rest of the snack into his mouth, and rolls around to peer over at the bed. Sonic makes an excited gasp, clambering over Tom’s arm. </p><p>Maddie manages to grab the hedgehog before he falls off and places him in the middle of the blanket. The moment his gloves touch the fabric, Sonic drops his bag and delightedly rubs his cheeks against it, rolling around in the softness. </p><p>The vet, amused, bunches up the blanket around the alien a bit more. “I assume you like -” The hedgehog suddenly grabs her hand, hugging it as tightly as he can. </p><p>“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” Sonic stares admiringly up at Maddie and Tom, eyes sparkling.</p><p>Startled for a second, Maddie breathes out a smile as she rubs the hedgehog’s head with her thumb. “You’re very welcome. Now,” She pulls her hand away. “Bedtime.”</p><p>“Aww.”</p><p>“Your foot won’t heal if you don’t-” Maddie blinks. The previously hyperactive hedgehog now snoring softly, still sitting up. He sways dangerously, before Maddie gently lays him down on the blanket. She covers the alien, who snuggles into it with a smile.</p><p>The vet and the sheriff give each other the same look.</p><p>What in the world had they gotten themselves into.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This is the longest chapter yet. Its currently 11:42pm.</p><p>Im very tired. Have some bab.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Donut Lord and tiny Spacehog in a car; what will they do</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a hot, dry autumn day in Montana. </p><p>The rain last night had done nothing to cool the land down, except for the slightly stronger breeze that morning. And, like usual, it was quiet; Only the occasional slow car disrupting the natural ambience of the speed trap.</p><p>It would be a day like any other, if it weren’t for his extra passenger.</p><p>Maddie had, as she promised last night, taken Sonic to her office early this morning to have his injury more thoroughly examined. However, as she was packing up (deeming the alien hedgehog’s ankle to only have a minor sprain), a client had come bursting in with an emergency patient.</p><p>As she called up her fellow workers, she had also phoned him. They had agreed the night before while their newest roommate slept soundly that, for now, they would keep Sonic a secret so as to not freak anyone out too badly. </p><p>This led to a dangerous game of “pass the alien without anyone noticing” within the commotion of the early Sunday morning (If anyone noticed his “just rolled out of bed” look when he arrived at the clinic, no one said anything).  After safely obtaining the cargo and grabbing a box of donuts from the shop, he left for his shift early.</p><p>He couldn’t leave the kid — well, at least he assumed he was a kid — back at the house. Who knew what trouble the hedgehog would get into?</p><p>And so here he was. </p><p>Tom looked over at Sonic sitting only half-buckled into the front seat (he was practically being swallowed by the lower belt). It was a little strange having an alien in his car. He honestly would have thought the entire incident yesterday a weird dream if he hadn’t woken up to the hedgehog <em>two inches from his face.</em></p><p>Despite having a mouth that rivaled Wade the night before, the hedgehog had been pretty quiet for the last half hour. Except for when he tried to eat the seatbelt, which Sonic quickly discovered was not edible. In fact, the kid seemed pretty content just sitting in the car with him.</p><p>From somewhere above, a bird calls.</p><p>God, he was bored.</p><p>Reaching over, the sheriff tuned the stereo to a random station. Tom then leaned back, tapping his steering wheel to the soft beat. There wasn't much on, but then again there usually wasn’t. </p><p>Not in the boring, dreary town of Green Hills.</p><p>“Woah…” Tom flinches a bit at the soft amazement (he kind of forgot the hedgehog was there). “It makes noise!”</p><p>He chuckles, causing Sonic’s ears to swivel toward him. “Yep. That’s the radio, buddy. Did you not have anything like that where you came from?”</p><p>“Nope! It sounds nice.” The alien rests his head on the belt around his waist, watching the dashboard with fascination.</p><p>“You can change it if you want.”</p><p>The hedgehog’s head tilts at Tom curiously. “‘Change it?’”</p><p>“Yeah. You just twist the knobs and other sounds come out of it.” Sonic’s hands twitch nervously, but his eyes sparkle in not-well-hidden anticipation.</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>Tom nods. Carefully, the sheriff loosens the seatbelt and plucks the hedgehog out of the seat. Placing Sonic on the space in front of the stereo (and making sure he wouldn’t fall off or something), he then leans back into his seat. “Knock yourself out, kid.”</p><p>The alien briefly looks back at Tom before going to town. Static and unintelligible news stations fill the car.</p><p>“<em>And onto the weath–Bzzrt–America’s top 50 hits!–strange electrical thunderstorms last night–Wake me up before you go,go!–Zzrt!–</em>“</p><p>After a couple minutes, the sounds fade into the background. Tom rests his head on his arm on the edge of the window.</p><p>Being the sheriff wasn’t all that cut out to be. Sure, he could do basically whatever he wanted without the consequence of a fine, but there wasn’t much one could get into trouble about around here: except for maybe speeding but even that was rare. Not that he wanted to cause trouble.</p><p>Tom always thought the idea of being a police officer was a noble occupation. You were in charge of making sure people were okay, taking down the bad guys, and just generally keeping the peace. But so far, his first year “helping” wasn’t exactly wasn’t what he had imagined.</p><p>Cleaning out gutters, jump-starting people’s cars, raking their lawns, and scaring off raccoons. What kind of police officer is that? It made his job feel like a joke.</p><p>Tom blows out a rough sigh. At the same time, something taps his steering wheel.</p><p>Pulling down his shades a bit, he turned his head to face the hedgehog on the top of his dashboard. It looked like Sonic had gotten bored of the radio. Some quiet country rock filtered through the vehicle (<em>huh, so the kid had good taste in music. Good to know</em>).</p><p>How Sonic had gotten up there, Tom would never know, but the hedgehog just sat there. Just watching with its bright emerald eyes. Smiling. Waiting. </p><p>It was a little awkward. </p><p>“Hey, bud — <em>that’s kinda creepy</em> –” Tom coughs a bit. “What do ya want?”</p><p>The alien points to his own nose. “What’s that on your face?”</p><p>Tom blinks. “My sunglasses?” </p><p>He nods quickly. “What do they do? Protect your eyes? They look too dark to see out of! I can’t see your eyes.”</p><p>“Yep, helps me see when it’s too bright out. Like today.” He peers out at the cloudless sky, a contrast to harsh storms of the night before.</p><p>Sonic blinks, then looks down at his gloves.</p><p>“...you wanna try them on?”</p><p>The way the hedgehog puffs up at that means that Tom’s assumption was right. The sheriff picks the shades off his face with his free hand and places them in Sonic’s small hands.</p><p>The alien’s nose twitches in glee, trying his best to maneuver the way-too-big glasses around so as to get a good look at them. With a wide confident motion, Sonic attempts to put them on his own small face. He appears to succeed for a moment before he suddenly falls backwards from the weight.</p><p>Tom laughs sharply at the creature’s almost cartoony flailing. He takes the sunglasses off and places them in front of the hedgehog instead. Sonic is a little ruffled but otherwise okay. The hedgehog smiles brightly at the sheriff; Tom can’t help but smile back.</p><p>The car falls back into silence. </p><p>As the song ends and a new one begins, Tom once again starts absentmindedly tapping the wheel to the beat. </p><p>"<em>Almost heaven, West Virginia</em></p><p>
  <em>Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Life is old there, older than the trees</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Younger than the mountains, growing like a breeze</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Country roads, take me home</em>
</p><p>
  <em>To the place I belong</em>
</p><p>
  <em>West Virginia, mountain mama</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Take me home, country roads"</em>
</p><p>It wasn’t a bad tune by any means. He’d have to figure out how to save it to the playlist on his phone or something. </p><p>The sound of slightly offbeat patting brings him out of his thoughts. Out of the corner of his eye, he watches in bafflement as Sonic is staring down Tom’s index finger as it flips up and down on the wheel.</p><p>The hedgehog brings down his own hand onto the dashboard, making a soft <em>plit</em> noise. </p><p>Tom taps twice. Sonic follows slightly off sync with one hand.</p><p>Tom does a quick 1-4-2 tap. The hedgehog mimics it perfectly.</p><p><em>Oh</em>, Tom realizes,<em> he’s trying to follow his beat</em>. </p><p>Shifting around in his seat a bit but still trying to look nonchalant, the sheriff raps his fingers. Sonic looks confuzzled by the gesture, unsure how to do that at first. The hedgehog suddenly shakes himself and straightens, gaining a determined look in his eye.</p><p>A challenge.</p><p>And thus began the weird game of Simon says, with Sonic mimicking Tom’s rapidly devolving beats; he had completely forgotten about following the music.</p><p>As they played, Tom couldn’t help but wonder if aliens had a similar game on their planet. However, due to the hedgehog’s fascination with the current game, it was also possible that they didn’t. It probably wasn’t called Simon says either, so he couldn’t exactly ask Sonic about it.</p><p>“<em>Never heard of a radio. Or seatbelts. Or even sunglasses. Yet apparently had the ability to teleport across the universe with a single gold ring,</em>” Tom mentally shook his head in disbelief. “<em>Other planets sound weirder than I thought.</em>”</p><p>The hedgehog’s tongue was stuck out in concentration (“<em>and yet Aliens somehow developed similar expressions. Huh.</em>”) and seemed to have completely forgotten Tom was there. Without much thought, the sheriff raps a couple more beats before softly poking Sonic in the middle of the forehead: not enough to knock him over but enough to get his attention.</p><p>The hedgehog gasps. “You cheated!”</p><p>Tom raises his hands smugly in surrender. “I didn’t know there were rules.”</p><p>“There were too! I’m supposed to copy you but I can’t touch your face! So it’s cheating!”</p><p>His quills stiffen as Tom laughs at the hedgehog’s display. Abruptly, his frown turns into a smirk. Sonic, deciding to give Tom two heart attacks within 24 hours, launches himself head first off the dashboard at Tom.</p><p>The sheriff’s sunglasses hit the car floor with a clatter, and Tom instinctively catches the angry bundle of spikes. Sonic twists around in his grip, wrestling in an attempt to get Tom to release him. Using his thumbs, Tom prevents the tiny hedgehog’s advances (it was at this point the sheriff half-notes the hoglet’s extremely soft fur, something he didn’t notice while freaking out the night before). </p><p>The not-very-threatening growls and huffs from the alien makes Tom give a throaty chuckle. It was a bit like fighting a small raccoon, just without the risk of rabies (maybe).</p><p>Huh. Maybe having the hedgehog around wasn't so bad- </p><p>“<em>ACK-Hey!</em> No biting!”</p><p>Sonic quickly removes his (thankfully blunt) teeth from Tom’s thumb. Looking briefly apologetic, the hedgehog squishes his snout in between Tom’s right forefinger and thumb. “Yur fal.”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah.” Tom waves it off. The sheriff promptly places the still angry hedgehog in the space between the passenger seat and the driver’s seat (he really didn’t want to get bitten again). Sonic huffs and puffs his cheeks out to show his displeasure, crossing his stubby arms as best as he can.</p><p>The silence returned.</p><p>Maddie always said he was good with kids, but he really wasn’t sure how one was supposed to deal with a (probably) baby alien. Tom sighs.</p><p>He needs a donut.</p><p>Reaching behind the seat, he pulls out the box of fresh donuts he had picked up that morning. He opens the box in his lap, plucks a donut out, and places the box in the passenger seat.</p><p>Just as he’s about to take a bite, Sonic exclaims: “A ring! I knew you were lying to me about not having rings!”</p><p>Tom looks at the hedgehog then back to the donut. </p><p>The golden color.</p><p>The sugary sheen. </p><p>Oh. </p><p>“Nah, bud. It’s not a ring,” he waves the pastry. “It’s a donut. You eat them. Not, teleport through them.” He tears off a piece. “Here, try it. It’s good.”</p><p>The hedgehog sniffs the food before unfolding his arms and grabbing it with his gloved hands. He raises an eyebrow at the sheriff, who shrugs and takes a bite of his larger piece.</p><p>Sonic looks back at his own, twisting it around a bit, and bites harshly into the soft bread.</p><p>The hedgehog freezes.</p><p>Tom panics. <em>Oh crap, is he allergic? He really didn’t want to be the first guy to meet an alien and accidentally kill it! Not to mention Maddie would eviscerate him! Crap crap crap-!</em></p><p>The donut disappears in the blink of an eye from Sonic’s hands. Tom’s train of thought stops abruptly.</p><p>The hedgehog is suddenly licking his fingers and lips clean of the glaze, eyes sparkling as they shoot back up at Tom: anger forgotten.</p><p>“Is there more???”</p><p>“Uh, yeah. In the box next to y-“ Sonic tumbles backwards into the passenger seat, quickly opening up the donut box (though he struggles getting the lid to stay up at first). </p><p>“WOAH! There’s so many!” Sonic nabs a full-sized donut that’s nearly as big as him, chewing down on the thing faster than Tom thought possible on the small creature. He was like a living black hole as it somehow fit the entire thing into his stomach.</p><p>(What do you know? Forgiveness donuts did work. He’d have to pay that bet with Andy at the donut shop after all.)</p><p>The hedgehog grabs his thir-four-<em>fifth</em> donut before he drags it back over to Tom, sugar coating his muzzle. (The word “cute” pops into Tom’s head before he can completely stop it.)</p><p>“Yur, Yur like the wuler of alll donuts,” Sonic sing-songs with a mouth full of said pastry.</p><p>Tom raises an eyebrow at that, grabbing his second serving. “Really? Why’s that?”</p><p>The hedgehog swallows as he nods. “You got all the donuts! Yeah, Lord of the Donuts. <em>Donut Lord.</em>” Sonic whispers the last moniker dramatically.</p><p>The sheriff hums goodnaturedly against his own donut. He chews and swallows a piece: “But that’s not my n-“</p><p>“Nope! You’re Donut Lord now!”</p><p>“Says who?”</p><p>“Says me! Sonic!” — His attention suddenly drifts to the floor of the driver's seat. — “Oh no! Your glasses!”</p><p>Before Tom can stop him, Sonic shoves the rest of the food into his mouth and slips down the side onto the floor of the car. The sheriff quickly stills as not to accidentally kick the hedgehog waddling around his feet. </p><p>After a moment, a pair of sunglasses pop-up from the bottom of the seat. They sway slightly as the hedgehog holding them tries to hold the large object up. “I got ‘em! You gotta protect your eyes from the sun! Like shields! I like shields...”</p><p>Tom, not wanting the hedgehog to be down there any longer, puts down his donut and scoops up the alien with one hand; The other hand takes the glasses from Sonic’s small grip and places them back on Tom’s face. </p><p>“Thanks-“ </p><p>Something small squeezes the end of his nose, followed by a small giggle. “Gotcha.”</p><p>Tom laughs.</p><p>Perhaps Green Hills wouldn’t be as boring and dreary as he thought.</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Maddie taps her nails against the wooden table as she sips her coffee. The blinking cursor of the blank <em>Google</em> document stared back.</p><p>
  <em>First, Tom finds some weird creature in the woods and brings it home, only to find that it talks—it's prolly an alien! Oh joy! Next, I wake up the next day to Tom’s surprised scream; the alien had thought that patting his face was the best way to get him up. And then I take the little guy with me to the office Sunday morning, when all of a sudden, and it’s not like I’m on my toes enough as it is, I find one of my clients freaking out over the thought of her cat dying. </em>
</p><p>She shakes her head and sips her coffee, though she couldn’t help but smile at her last statement, “Heh, and it turned out to just be a hairball scare...”</p><p>Maddie sighs and rubs her temples. What an eventful weekend (though she had to say Tom’s <em>minor</em> freakout was pretty hilarious). </p><p>Pulling out a notebook, she studies her notes. Sonic wasn’t the worst patient she’s ever had, though definitely not the best either. She wasn’t entirely used to doing basic checkups on something that could speak, though, so maybe that was her fault. </p><p>He didn’t bite or refuse to answer any of her questions, he just would <em>not </em>sit <em>still </em>. She would ask the hedgehog a couple questions, leave to prep, and then come back to him practically falling off the examination table or chewing on her pet nail clippers. Several times. </p><p>And don’t even get her started on trying to get his X-ray done.</p><p>Shaking her head, Maddie holds notepad in one hand and types with the other:</p><p>
  <em> ‘Name: Sonic </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Estimated Age: 3(?)'</em>
</p><p>Sonic had sat there for a few minutes counting on his fingers.</p><p>
  <em>'Date of Birth: ?? /??/ 2017(?)</em>
</p><p>
  <em> Breed: Alien-esque Hedge...'</em>
</p><p>Maddie hesitated to put <em>hedgehog</em> down because not even Sonic knew what he was. He only called himself a hedgehog because Tom dubbed him as such. </p><p>She picks up his X-rays; she’d have to scan and put them into her notes later. It was the <em>strangest</em> skeletal structure she had ever seen! It was like someone had taken a human baby, stuck an animal’s head on the top, and called it a day. If any of her workers had shown her this before meeting Sonic in person, she would have laughed it off as a joke.</p><p>The good news was that his ankle was, as determined before, not broken and appeared to be healing faster than previously anticipated. What should’ve taken weeks had healed overnight. </p><p><em>Must be some weird alien thing. </em>She takes another sip, quickly typing out the rest of the basic information she had down:</p><p>
  <em>'Sex: Male</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Body coloring and markings: Blue with peach coloring on his muzzle and stomach</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Eye color: Emerald green</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Height: Approx. 7in (17.9cm) </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Weight: Approx. 2lbs (0.9 kg) </em>
</p><p><em> Temperature: </em> <em> 98.6°F (37.0°C) </em></p><p>
  <em> Heart-rate: 400 bpm’ </em>
</p><p>Taking that particular data had made her pause (and retake it multiple times). A normal hedgehog’s pulse sat at around 180-280 bpm, but this was quite high for even one of those.</p><p><em>Is that normal for an alien his age? Or is there something wrong I might now know of? </em>Maddie sighs.</p><p>Just as she finishes typing the “m”, the front door swings open: Tom’s home.</p><p>And from the sound of incessant chatter in the hall, so was Sonic.</p><p>“How do birds fly? Is it magic? Do <em> they </em> know how they fly or does it just happen? You think I could outrun ‘em if I could?”</p><p>“Uh-huh. Sure buddy.” Tom comes around the corner. “Hey, Madz.”</p><p>Sonic’s head pops up out of the sheriff’s shirt pocket. “I had a donut, messed with the sound machine, and saw a bird!”</p><p>Tom gives the alien a Look. “‘<em> A </em> donut’, he says. This kid had <em> seven </em>. At once. I’m slightly terrified.”</p><p>The hedgehog sticks his tongue out. “You’re just mad that I can eat more than you can - <em> ah! </em>” </p><p>Sonic’s head suddenly vanishes back into his pocket. Tom looks at his wife, who shrugs, then quirks an eyebrow in the alien’s direction. “What is it?”</p><p>A small gloved hand shoots out of the pocket to point downward — “That!” — then disappears again. The sheriff looks.</p><p>Ozzie is trotting over to them from down the hall, tongue lolling out of his mouth, just like he does every time Tom comes home.</p><p>Tom laughs a little and squats down to the dog’s level, giving him a pat on the head. “Don’t worry, he won't hurt you. See, he’s nice.” </p><p>Slowly, emerald eyes peer over the lip of the pocket. “Nice?”</p><p>“Yep. In fact, he’s the one that found you, not me.” Tom says, struggling to keep the Retriever from jumping onto him. Tom, however, fails.</p><p>At that statement, Sonic abruptly pops back up, visible wonder snuffing out his caution. “You chased the scary orange thing away!” Both Ozzie and Tom startle at the sudden exclamation.</p><p>The dog’s attention is dragged over to the blue thing in his master’s pocket. Sonic giggles as a wet nose curiously sniffs the alien hedgehog.</p><p>An amused smirk stretches across Maddie’s face. “So,” she addresses her husband. “Fun day?”</p><p>Ozzie huffs as Tom stands back up to his full height. “You could say that.” Tom plucks Sonic out of his pocket and places him on the table. “And your’s?”</p><p>Maddie groans as Tom walks up to her. “I think some people need to calm down a bit and do some research before they come to us.”</p><p>Tom leans his elbows on the table. “Well,” he says. “if more people decided to google their problems, I think you’d be out of the job.”</p><p>Maddie laughs. “Probably.” She kisses him. “All those jobs you did for nothing.”</p><p>Tom gives her a friendly shove. “I agree to disagree; now you can teach me how to quickly skin and dispose of those raccoons who keep stealing our garbage.” He turns to her messy workspace, picking up her notebook. “What’s all this?”</p><p>“Data on our new freeloader.” She gestures her head at said freeloader who was currently laying on his stomach and reaching out to pet Ozzie from the edge of the table. “I thought doing a basic checkup routine would be beneficial in the long-run. Especially if he’s staying indefinitely.” </p><p>Suddenly, Maddie’s smile drops. “Tom, I don’t know what years mean for him or how fast he ages, but this…” Maddie leans back in her chair, watching as Ozzie attempts to lick the alien. “Tom, he’s only <em> three </em>. He’s a toddler, and from what you told me last night, he had to flee his home to be safe, when his home should have been safe in the first place.” She rubs her eyes. “I don’t know where I was going with this. Just…” </p><p>Tom loosely hugs her from behind, swaying slightly. “Hey, let’s just wait until his leg heals and then we’ll see what we can do with him. If he leaves, we can be happy we helped him out with what we could. If he wants to stay, well...” </p><p>Tom gains a tender look in his eye as the hedgehog tries to protect himself from Ozzie’s kisses. The sheriff turns back to his wife. “I don’t think I would mind.”</p><p>There’s a bout of silence (excluding the sound of Sonic’s squeals of delight) as Tom’s words sink in a bit. Maddie gives her husband a sly look. Tom raises an eyebrow. “What?”</p><p>“Looks like someone’s attached.”</p><p>Tom sputters. “Wh-what, <em> no </em>. “</p><p>“Uh-huh.”  Maddie turns back to typing on her computer. </p><p>“I am not!”</p><p>The vet hums knowingly. “I wouldn’t blame you. He is pretty cute, and from what I’m told, you get pretty bored sitting out there at the speed trap. Was he good company?”</p><p>The sheriff exhales loudly, not meeting his wife’s eyes. “As much good company a spiky soft-ball with teeth can be.” he says with a teasing lift. “Anyway, tonight’s movie night. Got any specific choices?”</p><p>“What’s ‘Movie Night’?”</p><p>Both adults jump at Sonic’s voice. Blue ears flick as he peers over the top of Maddie’s laptop, nose twitching.</p><p>“It’s like a night we sit down and watch movies together.”</p><p>“Ohhh.” Sonic blinks. “What’s a movie?”</p><p> </p><p>__________________________</p><p> </p><p>“Okay,” Tom comes back into the living room holding stacks of DVD cases. His wife sits comfortably on the couch, legs tucked underneath her and wearing some silky black pajamas with white frills at the wrists and pant ends; Tom is only wearing a white tee and sweatpants. “Here are your options: <em> Kung-Fu Panda </em> , <em> Men in Black </em> , <em> Austin Powers </em> , <em> Speed </em>-”</p><p>“<em>Speed</em>! <em>Speed</em>! <em>Speed</em>!” says the blue hedgehog practically being swallowed by the couch cushions. Maddie rescues him and places him on her lap. “I want <em>Speed</em>!”</p><p>“Well, <em>Speed</em> it is I gu-”</p><p>Maddie’s look is sizzling. "<em>Tom.</em>” </p><p>Right. Speed’s rated R, and Sonic’s only a kid. (Tom inwardly curses that he probably won’t be able to watch one of his favorite movies for a while.)</p><p>“Actually, uh, sorry bud. Can’t watch that one.”</p><p>The hedgehog’s smile drops. “Why?”</p><p>“You’re not old enough, sorry.”</p><p>“Aww, come on!” Sonic pouts, clenching his tiny fists. Maddie chuckles silently, softly petting the hedgehog’s head.</p><p>A lightbulb then suddenly goes off in Tom’s head. “<em>But </em>we do have <em>The Fast and Furious</em>…”</p><p>Just as predicted, Sonic’s body language does a one-eighty. “That one! That one!”</p><p> </p><p>______________________</p><p> </p><p><b>“</b>Woah!” The hedgehog exclaims as the movie starts, his cheeks stuffed with popcorn. “They took all that guy’s stuff! Bad guys…”</p><p> </p><p>______________________</p><p> </p><p>“He’s like you, Mister Donut! He’s got the shiny metal thing on your shirt!”</p><p>Maddie leans over to her husband and mouthes, “‘<em>Mister Donut</em>’?” </p><p>He waves her off. “<em>Don’t ask</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>______________________</p><p> </p><p>“Hey,” Sonic’s accusing tone makes both adults pause. “They’re racing with cars? That’s cheating!”</p><p>The edges of Tom’s mouth twitch. “Cheating? How is it cheating?”</p><p>Sonic nods. “You’re supposed to use your feet! I bet I could outrun ‘em…”</p><p>“Sure, buddy. Sure.”</p><p> </p><p>______________________</p><p> </p><p>Towards the end of the film, Tom had totally tuned out the alien (lots of “ooh’s” and “ahh’s” with the explosions and quick maneuvers). Though, he noted it was odd that Sonic flinched at every gun shot, having cuddled up to Tom’s side during the action scenes that had them. The credits had finally started rolling when soft snores reached his ears.</p><p>Tom turns to his wife, who was resting her head on his shoulder. She grins and shakes her head. Placing a finger against her lips, she uses her other hand to point between them.</p><p>The sheriff looks down at the small hedgehog curled up into his side, drooling a little and small hands clutching his pants. Some stray forgotten popcorn lays around the alien. Sonic mumbles sleepily, twisting around a little to get more comfortable. With a brief wordless exchange, Tom rolls his eyes and gently scoops the hedgehog up.</p><p>He pretends not to notice Maddie’s astute gaze as he leaves to put the kid to bed. But as he preps the blanket to be a little more comfortable, Tom can’t help but remember his wife’s earlier comment.</p><p>
  <em> “Looks like someone’s attached.” </em>
</p><p>Tom gently tucks the hedgehog in, wrapping the blanket around his small form. He lets out an airy chuckle. </p><p>He’s only known the kid for a day, but maybe, just maybe, he has.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>We now have a Pocket Hog discord!</p><p>https://discord.gg/9YBctkX (This link shouldn’t expire!)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sorry this took so long! Props to but_why_not for helping me get this chapter out! </p>
<p>Hope you enjoy!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>“Listen very carefully, Sonic. You have a power unlike anything I have ever seen. And that means there will always be someone who wants it. The only way to stay safe is to stay hidden.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Longclaw reaches a feather into the pouch around her waist and tosses a single ring, opening a glowing portal to an unknown place.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“This world is on the far side of the universe,” Longclaw says, gesturing behind herself. “You should be safe there.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I don’t want to go without you!”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“You must!” The owl shoves the ring bag into the hedgehog’s hands. “These rings will be your most important possession-” Longclaw’s stern expression abruptly shifts to one of fear at the sight of the Echidnas heading towards them. She looks back down at the shaking child, gently but also firmly pushing Sonic towards the portal. “If you’re ever discovered, use one. Now go!”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Without a word, the hedgehog takes off at high speed into the alien world. He’s a ways away when Sonic realizes that Longclaw is no longer behind him. Instead, she stands guard on the other side, wings spread to prevent the echidnas from entering as well. The hedgehog quickly heads toward her, trying to reach the ring portal in time. To get her to come in too. There was still time-!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Longclaw!” The owl turns, eyes sad and apologetic. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Goodbye, Sonic…”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Longclaw! No!” He speeds up, arms outstretched. He can make it! He can make it..!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>The portal dissolves through his fingers. There’s nothing.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>She’s gone.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The small hedgehog startles awake, arms flailing but they’re stopped by some unseen thing in the darkness.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Longclaw! Have to save! I’m trapped, I’m trapped -!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-the blanket is thrown soundlessly to the side.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Reality slowly shifts back into focus as the quiet of the room smothers his nightmare’s screams. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Sonic blinks a bit to adjust his sight. That’s right. He’s with the nice tall people. He’s safe. Not trapped. No Echidnas in sight. Safe.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He blinks again as his eyes start to water.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The hedgehog furiously wipes his eyes. Why was he still crying? He didn’t like crying. It made him feel stupid and small. He had to be strong. Longclaw said so. So why was he still crying?! Sonic shakes himself roughly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A soft jingle sounds, the bag of rings tangled in with the blanket falling over from Sonic’s movements. Turning in the direction of the bag, the hedgehog pulls it into his lap. After a moment of staring, he buries his face into the cool leather of the pouch. It smells of sea salt air and fresh forest growth, only a faint whiff of cinnamon sprigs and old wood still clinging to it. It smells like home. It smells like Longclaw.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A fresh wave of tears spill over his cheeks as Sonic sobs quietly into the bag. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I wanna go home. I want Longclaw.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sonic lays down on his side, curling around the bag. The blanket around him is warm but Sonic just feels cold. Instead of the thin cloth, he wished it was the warm, fluffy feathers of Longclaw’s wings. The cozy wooden hut with the nicest view on South Island.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He doesn’t want to be cold anymore.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sonic feels his throat tighten, emotion threatening to spill over once more, when there’s a low groan from the darkness, followed by a bit of loud shifting. He freezes for a moment, his injured leg protesting against the sudden seizing. But nothing follows the sound and Sonic relaxes minutely, ears straining to catch the faintest of sounds, but all he can hear is even breathing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sonic peers around and up to see the silhouette of Tom, just barely illuminated by the moonlight from the window. The human laid on his bed, still sound asleep. Sonic blinked owlishly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It looked warm up there.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Carefully, Sonic stands up, leaving the bag behind. He limp-waddles his way to the edge of the bed. With some effort, the hedgehog manages to scale the height of the bed frame and mattress, rolling himself onto the sheets. Tom breathes deeply on his side as Sonic crawls closer to the human’s chest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once his ankle is fixed up, he’d have to leave. Longclaw said so. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>But Longclaw also said the people were dangerous. And, Mister Donut and the nice lady have been taking care of me. Even after I told Mister Donut I was fast! </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was far away from his world, from the echidnas, from Longclaw. Maybe… he could be safe here too? Maybe this time, he wouldn’t have to run.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Curling a little closer, Sonic notices a strange noise coming from the human. He places an ear against the human’s chest, the rhythmic pulse suddenly familiar. </span>
  <em>
    <span>A heartbeat</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Longclaw would tell him how the nicest people had the biggest hearts, her eyes lighting up with a smile whenever he told her she must have the biggest heart in the world, followed by an amused click of her beak as he tried to very sneakily sneak some of her dessert. At night, when he slept in the crook of her wing, the deep, steady pulse of her heart lulled him to sleep. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sonic curls up tighter against the soft fabric of the Tom’s shirt, the warmth easing the tightness in his chest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This heart beat seems a little slow, but no less strong. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Did that mean Mister Donut was a good person? And if they were good, does, did that mean he could maybe stay?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He hoped so.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>--</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Morning light peers through the curtains, the soft glow warming the blankets that cover the couple. Tom stirs slowly, blinking in the morning glow. He stretches, ready to hop out of bed and begin his day, but an odd weight tugs on the fabric near his chest, slightly jabbing him in the side.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Curious, he peers down, only to see Sonic curled up and still snoring lightly.</span>
</p>
<p><em><span>When did he get there?</span></em> <em><span>And how?</span></em></p>
<p>
  <span>Either way, as much as he didn’t want to wake him up, Tom did have to go to work. The sheriff attempts to dislodge himself, however he stiffens when Sonic whimpers at the movement; the hedgehog’s grip tightens on his shirt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He’s a toddler.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Maddie’s earlier comment about him getting attached so quickly flashes briefly through his mind. She must have known, as he does now, that there was no way they could ask a child whether or not he was ready to leave.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But they couldn’t hold the little guy against his will either.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom mentally shakes himself. Much slower this time, he successfully manages to remove the hedgehog from his shirt. Sonic’s face is quick to scrunch up in discomfort, sleepily reaching out toward the warmth.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The alien whines softly as Tom picks him up and places him next to his still sleeping wife instead. Blindly, Sonic grips part of Maddie’s tank and quickly falls back into deep sleep.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Satisfied with his work, the sheriff tiptoes away to get ready for the day.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d have a safe space with them, so long as he wanted it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>--</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Jojo had been younger, she had stayed with Tom and Maddie for a couple of days while Rachel went out of town. Tom usually woke before her on Saturday mornings, a sheriff’s duty calling him away even on weekends. And back then Jojo had been plagued by constant nightmares.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rachel had apologized profusely when she dropped Jojo, but Maddie could only hug her sister, reassuring her it would be okay. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She couldn’t imagine losing her husband. And Jojo had lost her father.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>During the day, the girl had been as happy go lucky as anything, but in the wee hours of the morning, whenever Tom slipped away before the sun even rose, Jojo would come into their room. Maddie would simply open the warm covers for her niece, knowing she needed to not be alone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In those moments, she could feel the tension and fear bleed out of the young girl. Maddie did her best to remind her that she was safe. Their house may not have been Jojo's home but it would always be </span>
  <em>
    <span>a</span>
  </em>
  <span> home for her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As Maddie instinctively curls around the warmth at the center of the bed, she murmurs soothing words, half asleep. Her mind creeps towards wakefulness sluggishly. Something soft but pointed prods her side.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Sonic?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The little alien must have climbed up sometime in the night, she realizes. Maddie suddenly remembers his hurt leg, and shifts to try and catch a glimpse of it, worried it might have too much pressure placed on it. But as she moves, Sonic reaches out, tiny hands gripping her tank top and brow furrowing in sudden fear. However, it’s the small whimper that Sonic makes that makes her freeze. He seems to settle peacefully as he burrows in closer, looking too small and too sad even when asleep.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He’s so young</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she thinks mournfully.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well. Monday mornings were for sleeping in after all. Maddie tugs the blanket back into place in gentle movements, careful to not disturb her sleeping charge. As she settles back into bed, she hears a soft, contented sigh whisper out from a sleeping Sonic.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>--</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Watcha doin?” Sonic sat on the kitchen island with a piece of fruit Maddie had given him. After much agonizing over what he could and couldn’t eat the couple had finally settled for basic child foods and monitoring him </span>
  <em>
    <span>closely.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Apples were relatively safe so far.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Making breakfast,” Maddie hums, the eggs in the pan frying up nicely. Eggs would be safe, hedgehogs ate eggs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That smells so good.” Noise in the air, Sonic zeroes in on the bacon sizzling in a separate pan. Maddie laughs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Breakfast is, as always, an interesting event with Sonic around. The little hedgehog tears into his food, exclaiming all the while. He packs away a surprising amount of food, leaning back on the table as his small plate is cleared.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So what’s next?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, Monday mornings are usually laundry day.” Maddie says, gathering up his plate and brushing off an egg speck from his mouth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“O-oh,” Sonic ducks his head, wiping at his own face vigorously. “Laundry day? What’s that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just a day where we wash all of our clothes, get them ready to be worn again.” the dirtied small gloves and worn moccasins catch her eye. “Did you want me to throw your gloves in the washer as well? We’ll have to get you a new pair, if you want to keep wearing them, I’m assuming you’ll grow out of that pair at some point,” she mumbled, moving towards the sink. But Sonic wasn’t listening anymore.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A new pair? Grow out of it?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>These were all things that... did they want him to stay?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The thought blooms, warm and strong in his chest, and Sonic fights the beaming smile that threatens to take over. He could stay. Someplace safe. Someplace nice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Here with Mister Donut and Miss Nice Lady, it might even be home? But as quick as it comes, the dream bursts like a bubble.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sonic shakes himself forcefully. What if they said no? What if they changed their mind?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>What if it’s dangerous?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sonic?” Maddie’s voice cuts his swirling thoughts. “You okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The hedgehog’s expression quickly morphs into something more cheerful, more him. “Yep!” The vet’s gaze lingers for a brief second, appearing not to believe him, before she goes back to her dishes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His face falls.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He couldn’t stay. It’s not safe. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>But… </span>
  </em>
  <span>His expression turns into something more bittersweet. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I can still enjoy it for now. While I’m still here. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sonic looks over his, indeed, dirty gloves and shoes. </span>
  <em>
    <span>And maybe get some clean clothes too.</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'd like to apologize for this chapter taking so long.</p>
<p>School had been kicking my butt and i currently work full time at a job. But now that I've graduated, I can focus on my work AND update more often!</p>
<p>SO thank you for being so patient!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>We're making this series cuz there wasn't enough found family in the movie and we can't wait for the sequel! </p><p>This series WILL have spoilers for the movie so if you haven't seen it, don't read!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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